GOP AG Candidate’s Law Firm Job Evaluation: He’s A ‘Train Wreck’

A Republican candidate for attorney general in Nevada was described in a performance evaulation by his law firm as a “train wreck” who “doesn’t even have the basic skill set.”

Republican Adam Laxalt received the blistering assessment from the Lewis & Roca Associate Evaluation and Compensation Committee, as first published by journalist Jon Ralston.

The assessment said that Laxalt should go to seminars to help “address basic legal principles” as he had “judgement issues and doesn’t seem to understand what to do.” The committee recommended freezing Laxalt’s salary “deferral, and possible termination.”

Ralston notes that after that assessment he was made “of counsel” at the firm, a position which exempted him from being evaluated. He joined the firm in 2011 and left it in 2014 to run for attorney general. Laxalt was also known in the firm for linking to “political articles” on the firm’s website.

Laxalt’s campaign released said he had never seen the document in question, though as Ralston points out, the evaluation would likely have never included disclosing the exact contents to Laxalt.

“The improperly and perhaps illegally leaked document today is not an evaluation that Adam Laxalt has ever seen before, and its authenticy as an official evaluation is clearly in question,” Laxalt campaign spokesman Robert Uithoven said in a statement to Ralston. “Adam has been in touch with the firm this afternoon and he has been told that the process of authentication is currently underway. However, this document purporting to be an official evaluation was never given to Adam Laxalt. We will brief you with more information as soon as we have it.”

The evaluation of Laxalt strongly contrasted his self-assessment of his job performance. He described himself as “outstanding” and someone who regularly went above basic requirements and expectations. The evaluation committee noted the disconnection between their assessment and Laxalt’s.

Laxalt is the son of former Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) and Michelle Laxalt, the daughter of former Sen. Paul Laxalt (R-NV), who also was governor of Nevada. In February of last year Domenici admitted that Michelle Laxalt’s son Adam, was also his son, who he fathered outside of his marriage with Nancy Burk Domenici. Adam’s parentage was kept from the public for more than 30 years.